UFC Fight Night: Kape vs. Horiguchi Preview
Manel Kape stuns Asu Almabayev with a powerful right hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.
The UFC returns to its headquarters at the APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada, for an action-packed Fight Night card. There are plenty of standout matchups and fantastic fighters looking to put on a show inside the Octagon this Saturday. In the co-main event, we’ll see a dangerous veteran, Ion Cutelaba, face off with an undefeated prospect, Navajo Stirling. In the main event, two top-five Flyweights will rematch nine years later when Manel Kape takes on Kyoji Horiguchi. First, let’s take a look at the featured preliminary bout, then we’ll break down the main card.
Featured Prelim
Andre Lima vs. Kevin Borjas
Andre Lima blasts Igor Severino with a vicious elbow. Credit: MMA Junkie.
Flyweight Bout
Andre Lima: 11-0-0, 5 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.
Kevin Borjas: 10-5-0, 8 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.
Lima is undefeated and has UFC victories over Mitch Raposo (10-3-0), Felipe dos Santos (8-3-0), and Daniel Barez (17-8-0). He’s a dangerous, precise striker with impressive power and strong grappling. He’s highly accurate, having landed 60% of his significant strikes in the UFC, and he remains technical and composed throughout. Lima excels at switching targets and constantly mixes body shots and leg kicks into his combinations. Training with Team Lucas Mineiro, he maintains high output, always pressures his opponent, manages range well, and rarely absorbs significant damage. He’s averaging over one takedown per fifteen minutes and is as fast on the mat as on his feet, with speedy transitions and an excellent backtake. Lima can produce a finish in a hurry but has great cardio and can sustain a heavy pace across three rounds.
Kevin Borjas clips Joshua Van with a stiff right hand. Credit: MMA Junkie.
Borjas has won two of his last five fights and holds a UFC victory over Ronaldo Rodríguez (17-3-0). He’s a technical, powerful striker who’s always looking to let his hands go. He fights behind his jab, constantly pumping it out to set up his best shot, a straight right. Borjas has excellent footwork and distance management, rarely throwing kicks but always keeping his opponent on the end of his punches. He’s accurate and throws every shot with power and purpose, varying his attacks and regularly ending combinations with body shots. Training at Pitbull Martial Arts, he hasn’t landed a takedown in the UFC but has solid reversals and get-ups when taken to the mat. Borjas has secured half of his victories via first-round knockout, but he has solid cardio and remains dangerous at all times.
Main Card
Vinicius Oliveira vs. Andre Fili
Vinicius Oliveira fires a right hand at Ricky Simón. Credit: MMA Junkie.
Featherweight Bout
Vinicius Oliveira: 23-4-0, 16 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.
Andre Fili: 25-13-0, 10 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.
Oliveira has won four of his last five bouts and has UFC wins over Ricky Simón (22-7-1), Said Nurmagomedov (18-5-0), and Bernardo Sopaj (13-3-0). He’s a vicious, elusive striker with serious power in his hands and an unpredictable arsenal of attacks. He has a very unorthodox stance and movement style, keeping his hands down and relying on his head movement and footwork to avoid damage. Oliveira typically stays at range, keeping his head off the centerline before entering the pocket to unload wild, looping hooks. He won’t telegraph anything, sometimes picking his shots and staying at range, and other times extending long punch combinations punctuated with heavy kicks. Training with Sombra Team MMA, he won’t typically initiate grappling exchanges but has shown outstanding takedown defense in the UFC and will not accept a position on his back. Thirteen of his sixteen knockouts have come in the first round, and he’s most dangerous early on, carrying his power throughout but often reducing his pace and footwork as the fight continues.
Andre Fili blasts Lucas Almeida with brutal ground and pound. Credit: MMA Junkie.
Fili has won two of his last five outings, with UFC victories over Charles Jourdain (18-8-1), Bill Algeo (18-9-0), and Cub Swanson (31-14-0). He’s a slick striker with solid power and strong wrestling. He’s in perpetual motion, constantly switching stances and using his reach to land long punches and kicks from range. Fili throws in combination and won’t telegraph his attacks, especially his kicks, which he’ll regularly add to the end of combinations. Training at Team Alpha Male, he’s averaging over 2 takedowns per 15 minutes in his promotional tenure and is excellent in top position. His striking sets up his grappling, allowing his opponent to get comfortable on their feet before he shoots in for a takedown. Fili has solid cardio and won’t get sloppy, pushing a consistent pace throughout the fight.
Melsik Baghdasaryan vs. Murtazali Magomedov
Melsik Baghdasaryan lands a heavy kick to the body of Collin Anglin. Credit: MMA Junkie.
Featherweight Bout
Melsik Baghdasaryan: 8-3-0, 5 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.
Murtazali Magomedov: 10-0-0, 5 KO/TKO, 5 Sub.
Baghdasaryan has won three of his last five fights and has UFC victories over Tucker Lutz (12-4-0), Collin Anglin (9-5-0), and Bruno Souza (12-3-0). He is a former K-1 kickboxer who held a record of 9-2 before transitioning to MMA. He’s an excellent, technical striker with serious power in his punches and kicks. Baghdasaryan always comes forward and never telegraphs his shots, varying his targets well and regularly attacking the body and legs. Training at Glendale Fighting Club, he makes up for any lack of volume with power, though he usually lands a healthy dose of leg kicks. He’s most comfortable on his feet and has not attempted a takedown in the UFC, but he has successfully defended 72% of takedowns attempted on him. Baghdasaryan rarely absorbs much damage and has outlanded four of his last five opponents.
Murtazali Magomedov weighs in for his Contender Series bout. Credit: MMA Junkie.
Magomedov is undefeated and making his UFC debut. He’s a versatile fighter with one-shot knockout power and excellent wrestling. He’s constantly pressuring his opponents and looking to close the distance so he can let his hands go inside the pocket. Magomedov has powerful clinch striking with particularly devastating knees. Training with the KHK MMA Team, he has great timing and entries on his takedowns, typically securing them quickly, and can find submissions from either top position or off his back. He’s proven impressively durable, capable of surviving off his back and recovering from damage before coming back to do damage of his own. Magomedov has finished all of his victories and carries his power throughout the fight, remaining dangerous at all times.
Hyder Amil vs. Christian Rodriguez
Hyder Amil lands a thudding right hook on Jeong Yeong Lee. Credit: MMA Junkie.
Featherweight Bout
Hyder Amil: 11-2-0, 6 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.
Christian Rodriguez: 12-4-0, 3 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.
Amil has won three of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over William Gomis (15-4-0), Fernie Garcia (10-5-0), and Jeong Yeong Lee (11-3-0). He’s a power-puncher who throws every shot with knockout intent. He constantly pressures forward, looking to unload combinations of heavy hooks and straights. Amil has a solid chin and is always willing to hang in the pocket and brawl, but he also has excellent head movement and counterstriking. Training with the Skrap Pack, he holds a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and has solid wrestling skills to back up his striking, capable of executing powerful slam takedowns. He pushes a heavy pace from the opening bell, always coming out guns blazing and extending lengthy combinations. Amil tends to heat up as the fight continues, having scored five of his six knockouts in the second round.
Christian Rodriguez rains down ground and pound shots onto Raúl Rosas. Credit: MMA Fighting.
Rodriguez has won two of his last five outings, with UFC victories over Raúl Rosas Jr. (12-1-0), Cameron Saaiman (9-3-0), and Austin Bashi (14-1-0). He’s a well-rounded scrapper with clean, technical striking and a slick submission game. He’s constantly pressing forward and rarely uses movement or feints, often staying right in his opponent’s face. Rodriguez is always looking to close the distance and will regularly charge into the pocket, firing heavy combinations of straight punches. He’s averaging nearly two takedowns landed and over one submission attempted per fifteen minutes, and he’s a solid grappler. Training at Roufusport, he has excellent transitions and reversals on the ground and will almost always find himself in top position after a scramble. Rodriguez has consistently been matched up with other top prospects, and four of his promotional victories have come over previously undefeated fighters.
Ion Cutelaba vs. Navajo Stirling
Ion Cutelaba loads up to unload more shots onto a downed Ibo Aslan. Credit: Sports Illustrated.
Light Heavyweight Bout
Ion Cutelaba: 20-11-1, 13 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.
Navajo Stirling: 9-0-0, 5 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.
Cutelaba has won three of his last five fights and holds UFC victories over #5-ranked Light Heavyweight Khalil Rountree Jr. (15-7-0), Oumar Sy (12-2-0), and Ibo Aslan (14-4-0). He’s a true wildman in the cage, always pushing a heavy pace and unloading bombs. He throws everything with power, regularly ducking his head or lunging forward to fire huge, looping shots. Training at Xtreme Couture, Cutelaba is always willing to brawl but also has an extensive grappling background and excellent wrestling skills. He’s willing to shoot early and can land takedowns in open space or in the clinch, with particularly strong throws and trips. He’s extremely active in top position, immediately looking to posture up, do damage, and remain offensive at all times. Cutelaba has been in the UFC since 2016 and has a wealth of experience, always putting on a show every time he steps inside the cage.
Navajo Stirling clips Tuco Tokkos with a left hand. Credit: MMA Junkie.
Stirling is undefeated and has UFC wins over Rodolfo Bellato (13-3-1), Bruno Lopes (14-3-0), and Ivan Erslan (15-6-0). He’s a dangerous, talented kickboxer with impressive knockout power. He remains technical and composed, fighting behind his jab and avoiding brawls. Stirling constantly fires heavy kicks from range before closing the distance, and he can do serious damage inside the pocket even with little space. Training at City Kickboxing, he’s averaging about one takedown per fifteen minutes and is a solid grappler with heavy ground-and-pound. He throws every shot with power, has good cardio, and has landed, on average, about 104 total strikes per fight in the UFC. Stirling has secured more than half of his wins via knockout and can produce a finish at any time, with three of his five KO wins coming after the first round.
#2 Manel Kape vs. #5 Kyoji Horiguchi
Manel Kape drops Brandon Royval with a thudding right hook. Credit: MMA Mania.
Flyweight Bout
Manel Kape: 22-7-0, 14 KO/TKO, 5 Sub.
Kyoji Horiguchi: 36-5-0, 15 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.
Kape has won four of his last five bouts and holds UFC victories over #4-ranked Flyweight Brandon Royval (17-9-0), #8-ranked Flyweight Asu Almabayev (23-3-0), and Bruno Silva (15-9-2). He’s a fantastic, flashy striker with big-time power and excellent defensive grappling. He’s constantly looking to counterstrike and can go 0-60 in the blink of an eye, slipping punches and taking his time before suddenly unloading an extended combination. Kape has excellent distance management and will remain elusive and unpredictable throughout, fighting with his hands down and regularly switching stances. He does a great job of controlling the center of the Octagon and forcing his opponent to the outside of the cage while pressuring them relentlessly. Training at Xtreme Couture, he won’t typically initiate grappling exchanges, but he has outstanding takedown defense and has successfully defended 81% of takedowns attempted on him in the UFC. Kape has earned three post-fight bonuses in his last five appearances and always puts on a show inside the cage.
Kyoji Horiguchi blasts Amir Albazi with a thudding overhand right. Credit: MMA Fighting.
Horiguchi is on a five-fight win streak and holds UFC wins over #7-ranked Flyweight Amir Albazi (17-3-0) and #13-ranked Tagir Ulanbekov (17-3-0) since returning after a decade of fighting in Rizin and Bellator. He’s a wild fighter with devastating power and outstanding skills on the mat. He’s a second-degree black belt in Shotokan Karate and throws every shot with knockout intent, favoring power over volume and adding heavy kicks at the end of combinations. Horiguchi is very explosive and will constantly look to crash into the pocket and unload big hooks and overhands. He has excellent chain wrestling, regularly stringing together multiple takedown attempts to secure a dominant position on the ground. Training at American Top Team, he’s dangerous in top position with heavy ground-and-pound, but is just as dangerous off his back, constantly looking to sweep his opponent or grab a submission. Horiguchi has earned belts in Rizin, Bellator, and Shooto, and has faced exclusively high-level competition since leaving the UFC in 2016.
Best Bets
Murtazali Magomedov Moneyline: This is an excellent matchup between two dangerous Featherweights. Although they’re both very solid strikers, I believe Magomedov is the more well-rounded of the two, and I think that will be the difference-maker. Magomedov has the skills and power to compete with Baghdasaryan on the feet, but I also expect him to mix in plenty of grappling and keep Baghdasaryan from staying comfortable. I expect this fight to get off to a quick start, with both men meeting in the middle of the cage and letting their hands go. After a few striking exchanges, I anticipate Magomedov will shoot for takedowns and eventually bring the fight to the mat, neutralizing Baghdasaryan’s offense and wearing down his cardio. As the fight continues and Baghdasaryan starts to gas out, I believe Magomedov will take full control, dictating the pace and range while continuing to damage Baghdasaryan. This will be Magomedov’s debut, and considering that half his wins are knockouts and the other half are submissions, I’m unsure how this fight ends, but I’m confident Magomedov will walk away with an impressive debut victory.
Amil vs. Rodriguez to Go the Distance: This is a great matchup of two well-rounded fighters that I’ve been looking forward to. I think these two fighters match up very well in terms of size and skills, so I anticipate plenty of competitive exchanges both on the feet and on the ground. Both men are coming off two consecutive losses and are in need of a victory, so I expect them to fight carefully rather than engage in a crazy, all-out brawl. I believe there will be a feeling-out process at the start of the fight, with both fighters establishing their ranges and rhythms, picking their shots, and looking for openings for takedowns. As the fight continues, I expect plenty of grappling exchanges, with both having their moments on the mat and doing some damage to each other. I anticipate the pace will increase as we reach the final rounds, with both fighters looking for big shots and dominant positions to secure the win. Ultimately, I expect an entertaining, close fight, and I am confident that it will last all three rounds.
Kyoji Horiguchi Moneyline: This is a rematch nearly 10 years in the making, dating back to their first meeting in Rizin in 2017. I expect this fight to be just as much fun as the first one and to end similarly. While Kape has looked great lately, I believe Horiguchi has a significant grappling advantage and a slight power edge. I expect a slow start, with each fighter wary of the other’s power and staying cautious. As the fight continues, I expect Horiguchi to push the action, forcing Kape to the outside of the cage with power punches before shooting for takedowns and taking the fight to the floor. Once Horiguchi brings the fight to the mat, I expect him to take a dominant position and start doing serious damage, draining Kape’s energy and limiting his ability to use his striking skills. The longer the fight goes, the worse it will get for Kape, and I believe that regardless of how or when this fight concludes, Horiguchi will emerge the victor.
